Hi all on BEE-L

Reading the Mailbox in Bee Culture Feb 2002 issue pages
6-7. A ltr written by Jeff Pettis has caught my eye on
Coumaphos Resistance where Dr Pettis states:

*The addition of two or four new CheckMite+ strips did not
result in increased mite drop over 24 hours (approximately
400 mties/colony) when compared to mite drop from colonies
with "used strips" (approximately 350 mites/colony). In
contrast, the addition of two Apistan strips resulted in a
10-fold increase (approximately 3,800 mites/colony/24
hours) in mite numbers when compared to the "used strips"
mite drop.*

I find this frightening to read, for it says to me there is
no alternating of treatments between apistan and coumaphos
in reverse of harsher to milder, so you can only go forward
harder and harsher.

This would be in line with the normal route of the
pesticide treadmill (for more information please see)

The Chemical Treadmill explained
http://www.beesource.com/pov/lusby/chemdata.htm

So are beekeepers kidding themselves they can back off and
not crash with colonies? Just where are the clean combs and
bees going to come from to retool so many, if they
themselves are not restarting clean seperate colonies on
the side, to work up, to replace coming crashing colonies
in the future?

Is any one planning for their escape?

Regards,

Dee A. Lusby



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